Book of the Day: The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand
Audrey Penn
Illustrations:  Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Tanglewood Press (1993)

Found on my friend's Pinterest board (she said it made her cry every time she reads it), I decided to check it out from the library.  I wonder how I did  not know about this book during my School Counseling years.  I actually am  wondering why I didn't think of it--such a simple and clever idea that I can see really working.    There have been many a child (and parent) with separation anxiety over the years that would have benefited from this book.  

It's a tale about a little raccoon named Chester who wants to hang out with his mommy rather than go to school.   The mommy kisses his hand and explains that it goes straight to his heart and he can always think about the kissing hand when he feels sad or lonely.  Chester decides to give a kissing hand to his mom, so that she can also feel the love when they are apart.  

I recently went away for the weekend and although Mirette does not really have a big issue with separation, I tried this.   It was so great and it made me feel much better about leaving and it was a way to celebrate and acknowledge our love.

Audrey Penn wrote a companion book called A Pocket Full of Kisses.  This book is about Chester's indignation that his little brother also gets a kissing hand.  The mom has to explain that there is enough love to go around that his brother's kissing hand doesn't negate his kissing hand.  

Geez, just once could I read a bio. of one of these writers and not get totally immersed.   It seems like most of them have fascinating lives or do something else that is really interesting and Audrey Penn is no exception.  She was a ballet dancer and a choreographer for the Olympic figure skating team, but she had to stop after becoming seriously ill with arthritis (her blog indicates that she still suffers from these ailments).   She has many other books that look great and focus on helping children get through something.  A relatively new one is called Chester and the Big Bad Bully.

Another interesting thing about her is that she workshops her books at schools in the DC area.  So the kids actually help her with the re-writing process and give her ideas.   Her mom compiled a book of her journal writings called Happy Apple Told Me that was quite successful.   She developed the Kissing Hand idea when her daughter was afraid to go to kindergarten. 

Not to much on the illustrators but here's what I know:
Ruth Harper:  http://www.rutheharper.com/index.php?p=1_4
Nancy M. Leak:  A Maryland artist specializing in printmaking

Teacher's Idea for the first day of Kindergarten:  http://www.kinderthemes.com/thekissinghand.html

All kinds of kissing hand activities:  http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/KissingHandPrintablesandIdeas.htm

And more:   http://littlegiraffes.com/teaching-ideas/95/the-kissing-hand-activities/

I feel, When, Because. . .

Poor Mirette--her mom (that's me) is a School Counselor.  With that profession comes a library of books about feelings.   I can just see the future me pestering Mirette about her feelings or asking her to use an I statement.  I can also see her rolling her eyes in response, wishing she had a mom that had some other less annoying career.

Alas, here are some of our favorite books about feelings.

How Are You Peeling?  Foods with Moods
 by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
Scholastic Press (1999)

No, peeling is not a typo.  Saxton and Joost found funny-looking fruits and veggies at markets around New York and carved faces into them.   It's a fun and funny way to explore feelings.   Here's a great interview with Saxton Freymann:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/egg/302/playfood/interview_content_1.html

C is for Curious
by Woodleigh Hubbard
Chronicle Books (1990)

This wasn't a particularly favorite book of mine, but Mirette frequently requested it.  The more we read it, the more I started to appreciate the art.   It's really a gorgeous and unique book with large, friendly pictures.  Apparently, her art has been said to be Picasso and Miro-like. 
My favorite letter is X for xenophobic--just try explaining that one to a two year old. 

 Woodleigh Hubbard's website is pretty cool:  http://www.woodleighhubbard.com/.  In addition to lovely stories about how she became an illustrator and all the people who told her she sucked along the way, she sells jewlery (though I'm not exactly sure how one buys it), and has a website  Women of Vision, Creativity and Courage.  She loves connecting with children and her artwork is in a variety of places including the Guggenheim and the Smithsonian.  

My Many Colored Days: 
 Author:   Dr. Seuss  Illustrator:  Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
Alfred A. Knopf (1996)

This was created post-humorously after Dr. Seuss died.   I have read this, with much success, to many kindergarten classrooms.  

Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher are an illustrating team.  Lou Fancher is a woman, but as far as I can tell they are not a couple. It's very unusual to illustrate together, I wonder how they do it?   Here's a little information on them (truthfully though, I only skimmed this because I am utterly tired this evening):

http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/contribbios/fancher-johnson.html

Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse 
Author: Jeanne Modesitt  Illustrator:  Robin Spowart
Scholastic (1992)

This book has soft pastel illustrations with a dreamy feel to them.  The words are fun to act out. 

 It seems that neither the author or the illustrator has a website or any interesting links, but I did find out that they are a husband/wife team.  


When Emily Woke Up Angry 
by Riana Duncan
Barron's Educational Series (1989)

This book is another favorite of mine.   I dropped it in a puddle many years ago, so it is stained throughout, but still has managed to delight many children.  When I read it to classes, we act out all the pages and it's lots of fun.  I did this in a modified way with Mirette and it was a real hit.

There is nothing on Riana Duncan, so you'll have to trust me on this one!  Thankfully I kept my frayed, puddle-splashed book--it may be a collector's item.